| Bocage's wall lizard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
 | |
| Female | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Podarcis |
| Species: | P. bocagei |
| Binomial name | |
| Podarcis bocagei (Seoane, 1885) | |
 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Bocage's wall lizard (Podarcis bocagei) is aspecies oflizard in thefamilyLacertidae. The species isendemic to theIberian Peninsula. Its naturalhabitats are temperateforests, temperateshrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, sandy shores, rural gardens, andurban areas. TheIUCN does not consider it to bethreatened.
Both thespecific name,bocagei, and the common name, Bocage's wall lizard, are in honor ofPortuguesezoologistJosé Vicente Barbosa du Bocage.[3]
Bocage's wall lizard grows to asnout-to-vent length (SVL) of about 7 cm (2.8 in), with a tail twice SVL. Males are larger than females. It is a sturdy lizard, somewhat flattened, and resemblingCarbonell's wall lizard (Podarcis carbonelli). Thedorsal surface is usually grey or yellowish-brown, but is sometimes green in males, copiously speckled with rows of dark markings. The flanks may be brownish or yellowish. The underparts are white, yellow, pink, or orange, but there are not any of the small blue spots along the edge of the belly which are often present in Carbonell's wall lizard.[4]
Bocage's wall lizard is found in northernPortugal and northwesternSpain as far southwards as theRiver Douro.[1]
Typicalhabitats ofP. bocagei are opendeciduouswoodland,scrubland, coastal sand dunes, and cultivated areas, including in villages, at altitudes from sea level to 1,900 m (6,200 ft).[1]
P. bocagei isoviparous. Sexually mature females lay 2–4clutches ofeggs each year. Clutch size varies from 2 to 9 eggs.[1]
Bocage's wall lizard is common in suitable habitat within its range. The population is steady and faces no specific threats and theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]
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